Canada
Canada is a country that neighbours most of the United States to the north. It is where Robin Scherbatsky was born and raised in. Throughout the series, the country has been a constant subject of mockery by the American members of the Gang, especially Barney, who is revealed in Season 7 to have 1/4 Canadian blood due to his paternal grandfather's origins. The Gang has portrayed Canada as much more backward than the United States. Robin often mentions Canadian people, ideas, customs, etc that other members of the Gang are not likely to be familiar with. Sometimes, Robin is seen hanging out in Hoser Hut, a Canadian-themed bar in New York. Episodes with significant Canadian references or elements Season 1 * - The audience learns for the first time that Robin is Canadian and that Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October. Season 2 * - The rest of the Gang find out for the first time about Robin's brief Canadian musical career as Robin Sparkles. Her song Let's Go to the Mall includes references to Canada Day and a cameo by (a fictional) Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Additionally, Robin has told Ted a secret about a fictitious Canadian marriage she claimed to have entered into. Season 3 * - Barney finds out about Robin's second Canadian music video. Canadian star Alan Thicke makes an appearance playing Robin Sparkles' father in the video. Season 4 * - Robin becomes homesick, and Marshall takes her to a Canadian themed bar called the Hoser Hut. * - Robin's first reporting job was revealed to be a cub reporter for Channel 22 in Red Deer, Alberta. * - Robin revealed to the Gang that she attempted a sex act to a Canadian celebrity. As the Gang tried to find out what the term is for what Robin has done, they stumble upon a website called canadiansexacts.org to learn more about other sex acts familiar to Canadians. Ultimately, Robin revealed The Frozen Snowshoe to be the celebrity who Robin attempted a sex act with as he invited her to his place to look at Harvey's trays and do an Old King Clancy (the Canadian sex act itself). Additionally, Robin told the Gang that Frozen Snowshoe was most famous celebrity professional wrestler in Canada. Also in the episode, various Canadian celebrities and places were mentioned, and the Gang also used Canadian terms they learned on the website to describe what Barney and Marshall did to hide the truth from Ted regarding the fate of his job as architect of an upcoming GNB building. Season 5 * - Ted teaches Barney that one topic to distract Robin with when she is mad at someone is the Vancouver Canucks 2004 division title. Robin remarked that it is the story of an underdog team that won despite very shakey goaltending and Trevor Linden's (a former Canucks player) declining skills. Ted also teaches Barney that one thing never to do around Robin is mention hockey's lack of popularity in the US. Finally, Ted also asked Barney (as part of a pop quiz) what kind of chocolate one should get her, and Barney answers butterscotch and he says it because it is to Canadian women what chocolate is to American women. * - On the eve of Robin's citizenship test, she sang Canada's national anthem and got drunk together with members of the Canadian national women's curling team at the Hoser Hut, a Canadian-themed bar. She ends up in Toronto where Barney tracked her down. On their way home, Barney and Robin stop at a Tim Hortons coffee shop. In the shop, Barney makes a speech that ridicules Canadians for letting Robin go for which Barney gets beaten up. After experiencing free Canadian health care, Robin ultimately decides to have both US and Canadian citizenship. * - Alan Thicke makes a cameo appearance after being enlisted by Lily to help break up Robin and Barney's relationship. Also, in a fresh flashback sequence to illustrate the great American-Canadian fight, Robin mentioned musician Neil Young who she described as a Canadian treasure and told Barney not to make fun of him. Season 6 * - Barney obtains a tape of a Canadian show where Robin (as Robin sparkles) starred in along with Jessica Glitter. Alan Thicke also makes an appearance on the video. There were references in the video to beavers, which Robin said was Canada's national mascot. Later in the episode, Glitter appears on stage at the Hoser Hut to sing 'The Beaver Song' featured in the video and invites Robin to join her. Thicke also makes an appearance at the bar along with other Canadian symbols such as a look-a-like of Queen Elizabeth (who also is head of State of Canada), Canadian Prime Minister, hockey player, and RCMP officer. * - Alex Trebek makes a cameo as a host for a fictional game show Million Dollar Heads or Tails. Robin auditions for the job of 'Currency Rotation Specialist'. Trebek finds out that Robin is Canadian. Season 7 * - Barney finds out that he is a quarter Canadian on his father's side. In particular, Robin learns that his paternal grandfather was born in Manitoba. Because of the mockery Robin endured, she repaid the favour by reminding Barney of his Canadian roots. Season 8 * - Barney found a tape of a show that described how Robin Sparkles turned into Robin Daggers, and which speculated who the song P.S. I Love You was talking about. The tape also featured cameo appearances by several Canadian stars who also mentioned where in Canada they were and what Tim Hortons doughnut they were eating when Robin made the transformation. Season 9 * - Barney entrusted Ted to guard an autographed photo of Wayne Gretzky (a famous Canadian hockey star) which the former plans to give to Robin. * - Barney pulled off an ice-skating Canadian-themed rehearsal dinner for Robin after Robin wished she wanted a Canadian-themed dinner. Barney also read out some trivia about Canada to Robin. Barney ultimately gives the autographed Gretzky photo first seen in Mom and Dad to Robin. Canadian celebrity Alan Thicke also made a cameo appearance. * - A flashback sequence shows Robin revealing to the Gang for the first time that she is Canadian after Barney mockingly asked what country she is from. Recurring and Special Characters Portrayed as Canadian * Jessica Glitter - Robin’s co-host in a Canadian show * k.d. lang * Geddy Lee * Steven Page * Jason Priestly * Luc Jean-Marie Robitaille *Robin Scherbatsky, Sr - Robin's father *Paul Shaffer *Alan Thicke *Alex Trebek Notes and Trivia *The character that plays Robin, Cobie Smulders, is Canadian in real life. *In an interview with George Stroumboulopoulos, Smulders revealed that one of the show's writers is also Canadian, specifically from Guelph. *On 6 December 2017, Smulders posted on her Instagram account that she made her own Robin Sparkles-themed Tim Hortons doughnuts. *Tim Hortons also actually happens to have several branches in the New York metro area and other parts of the US. *Guest star Malin Akerman (who made a cameo appearance in the episode The Wedding Bride) is also part Canadian in real life. However, unlike the other Canadian guest stars who appeared or were mentioned in the series, Akerman's Canadian citizenship was not made an issue or even referred to at all. *Although Katie Scherbatsky is Robin's sister, her nationality was never explicitly mentioned. Given that Robin's and Katie's mother is British, it technically remains unclear whether Katie is Canadian. References *http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/videos/cobie-smulders-on-how-robin-scherbatsky-became-canadian *https://www.instagram.com/p/BcXJBZ4A9LN/?taken-by=cobiesmulders Category:Robin Scherbatsky Category:Recurring Elements Category:Locations